Board hears explanation for $340,000 emergency procurement after dewatering equipment failure

During consent agenda discussion a commissioner questioned a line item that started as a $50,000 emergency purchase order and later totaled approximately $340,000 for rental and repair of dewatering equipment at the Sykes Creek Wastewater Plant.

Utilities staff explained that the dewatering equipment for biosolids broke and, because the landfill will not accept the high-moisture material, the county had no way to dispose biosolids without rental dewatering capacity. The emergency PO mechanism allows immediate vendor work up to $50,000; staff later reconvened with the Board to reconcile the final amount (approximately $340,000) once the work scope and costs were known. Staff stated that Synagro was effectively the only vendor supplying the specialized rental equipment and that the repair and reconciliation would be completed by month end to avoid a compliance consent order with FDEP.

The Board kept the consent agenda and related items on the record and approved the consent agenda after receiving the explanation.